He is here at last

I gave birth to a 3.5kg baby last Monday naturally without any instrument or epidural. My son's daddy said I am very tough because of the pain I endured for popping this 3.5 kg flesh and blood out. It was a 12 hours ordeal that I went through. I wanted to jot down a little memory here so later when I looked back, I still remember the moments I spent along the 12 hours on that very day.

On sunday morning, I had bloody show and I figured that the mucus plug had came off. I read that after the mucus plug came out, it can be within hours, days or weeks before baby its born. So I told my husband that we shall go and see my obstetrician the next morning. During the whole morning throughout the afternoon, I felt constipated every now and then. I phoned my sister and another friend to find out how contraction pain should feel like. Both of them told me it's almost like menstrual cramp but more severe one. For me, it's hard to judge because I don't normally has menstrual cramp. I just ignored it until about 6.30 in the evening when I started feeling the pain which is not so mild anymore. I had to stop everything I was doing whenever the pain came just standing there deep breathing until the pain is gone again. Something is wrong. I think this was a real contraction. I timed it was about 6-8 minutes apart. I already boiled a pot of soup since 3pm and I have to stir fry one more vege for dinner besides cooking rice. I didn't even marinate the pork that I was going to stir fry with the vege because I can't stand too long anymore. The pain was quite intense. Quickly after cleaning the kitchen and washed the wok, I woke my husband up for dinner (he was having evening nap) and told him I most probably going to give birth soon and we should eat quickly. I ate like thunder with in between I stood up and changed position trying to relieve from pain. I headed towards bathroom for shower and reminded him to wash and clean up after he finished eating while I shower first. I had to sit on the toilet seat to wash my hair because at that moment, I had trouble standing whenever the pain came. Around 8 pm, we drove to the hospital with packed bags and his beloved DSLR. One funny thing is that when we arrived at the parking arena, hubby pressed the parking ticket from the machine and shoved it to me. He told me to hold it. I was in such a pain that I had to ask him to simply just put it somewhere, don't give it to me. He wasn't aware I was already in real pain. We went directly to the birth unit upon reaching hospital. Nurses plugged me to the machine to monitor my contraction for 20 minutes. It showed my contraction lasted about 30 seconds and 6 minutes apart. Nurse said I should be staying here in the labour room for the night because my contraction is already quite close period. Nurse told my husband to go down to do the admission process while they continue monitor me because I have not even dilated for 1cm yet. At around 11pm, my pain became quite severe that they gave me pain killer jab. Since I had not dilated nurses estimated I will only give birth the next morning, I sent my husband back to sleep at home. He went home and spent some time cooking the red date, longan tea for me so that he could bring it with him later when he came. Around 3am, my membrane ruptured/water bag burst. I vomited the dinner I took the night before sure to the effect of pain killer. Nurses told me to sleep because I would need the energy to push in the morning but I could not fall asleep in this kind of pain. I texted my husband and he came again at 4am. From 3am until 6.30am, I was dilated until 8cm. Nurse said I can't give birth yet because my contraction doesn't last long enough to give the push. Doctor came at around 7am and I was still at 8cm. Doctor gave me a dip to fasten the contraction and making it last longer. I was in terrible pain and already feeling very weak. I had already been in intense pain for the last 10 hours. After he gave the dip,it was like in hell. My legs cramped whole times that my husband and the nurse had to massage my legs every time the contraction came. Both my hands were numb because I hold the railing of the bed too tight whenever it was so pain. I curled on bed like a caterpillar, shaking. My husband asked for the laughing gas (nitrous oxide) from doctor but he was reluctant to give because he worried I won't be able to push as the gas effect will make me drowsy. I told him I was already in pain for almost 12 hours now and if I can't relive from pain, I can't survive anymore. He gave in as I promised I would be able to push later. At around 8am, I can't wait anymore. They told me to wait until 10cm, but I can't. The baby was already almost out. They didn't believe me in the beginning because I had already told them the same thing that I had to push since 7.30am. One of the nurse asked me to try and she saw baby's head. They quickly called the doctor in and setup the bed for labour. At the 3rd time pushing, doctor performed a 2cm episiotomy which I could not even feel it anymore, baby came out at the 5th push at 8.08am. He was so adorable and I could not cry from happiness because I was still drowsy from the overdose off laughing gas. The gas effect made vomited until lunch time. I took too much of it but luckily I was still able to push and get baby out without the help of vacum or forcept.

The labour lasted 12 hours and he is finally out. Love him. My husband loves me more after baby is out, I can feel it, and I know why.